Hello! At 3D Printing Geek, we believe that product reviews should provide an honest representation of our experiences with a product. Our primary goal is to provide the most honest review possible so that our viewers can make an informed decision. We don’t simply recap a product’s spec sheet – we thoroughly test each product before sharing our experiences and results.
To meet this aim, the following principles apply to any review we produce.
1. Integrity and Disclosure
- Neutrality: We always provide a truthful representation of our experiences. We never accept payment or other compensation to influence our opinion about a product. Our opinion will not be altered by whether we purchased the product or received it for free.
- Disclosure: If an item is provided free of charge for review, this will be clearly disclosed.
- Paid Reviews (Sponsorship): If a payment is made for the review’s production (e.g., a “sponsored video”), it will be clearly declared as an advertisement. This is legally considered an exchange of goods. We may offer paid sponsorships, but these are independent of the review’s outcome.
- No Cancellation for Negative Results: A poor experience during testing is not grounds for the review to be cancelled or deleted to avoid negative publicity. As such, it is important for these reviews to be publicly available to warn customers of less-than-desirable products.
2. Manufacturer’s Influence and Corrections
- No Prior Review: We do not provide the resulting video or script to manufacturers before its public release. While we welcome “review guides” with talking points, we do not strictly adhere to them.
- Corrections: In the case that we make a verified factual mistake in our process, we will upload an altered version to be fair and accurate and will make a note of the correction.
3. Product Requirements
- Production and Pre-Release Units: The item provided must be the equivalent of what a regular customer would receive. We strongly prefer not to review pre-release hardware unless it is identical to the final product that will be shipped to customers. If we suspect an item has been specially prepared (“a golden sample”) to receive a favourable review, this will be disclosed.
- Crowdfunded Products: We are generally cautious about reviewing crowdfunded products that have not yet been completely fulfilled to backers. This is because the review unit may not accurately represent the final production model that customers receive.
- If we make an exception and review a crowdfunded product, the review will clearly and explicitly state:
- That the product originated from a crowdfunding campaign.
- The fulfillment status of the project (e.g., “backers have not yet received their units”).
- A disclaimer that the final product shipped to backers may differ in quality, features, or performance from the unit we tested.
- If we make an exception and review a crowdfunded product, the review will clearly and explicitly state:
- Product Safety: We do not accept products with glaring safety issues. If a product reveals a severe safety issue during our testing, we will halt the review process and may still publish our findings.
4. Review Process and Resolving Issues
- Troubleshooting: When encountering difficulties, we will try to resolve issues up to a reasonable limit. We may first attempt to consult user manuals and community groups before contacting the company representative. This allows our experience to be more in line with a typical customer.
- Reporting: Technical difficulties and challenges will be mentioned in the review. Even when difficulties are resolved, it is relevant to include this part of the review experience in the final video. We will state if a problem appears to be an anomaly or a systemic issue.
- Typical Process: While not guaranteed, our process typically includes unboxing, assembly, evaluation of instructions, and thorough testing of advertised features, performance, reliability, and safety. For complex items like 3D printers, we aim for a minimum of 100 printing hours to evaluate long-term operation.
5. Review Summaries and Fairness
To be fair and transparent, our final summary will aim to:
- Provide a summary of all positives and negatives of the experience.
- Assess the performance of the item against what is advertised by the seller.
- Evaluate the performance of the review item in terms of its price point.
- Assess the item against relevant competitors that we have used firsthand. We will avoid speculation on performance comparisons to items we have not tested.
6. Logistics and Timelines
- No Guaranteed Timeline: We cannot guarantee a specific date for a review’s release unless explicitly agreed upon. We are individuals with other responsibilities, and thorough testing takes time. For a 3D printer, a typical timeframe is 6+ weeks, but this is only a target.
- Provided Samples: We accept review samples, but all conditions must be agreed upon beforehand.
- Loaned Products: If a product needs to be returned, please state so before sending it. Products sent without communicating loan terms or return conditions prior to shipping will be considered gifts and will not be returned.
- Unsolicited Products: Products sent without prior agreement will not be returned or considered for review.
- Imports (from non-EU): Please respect all applicable import declaration rules. Shipments that are improperly declared (or that do not conform to standards like the “CE” mark) may be returned or destroyed by customs.
7. Publishing and Legal
- Monetization: Videos on our channel are monetized via YouTube advertisements and may include affiliate links in the description.
- No Guaranteed Review: We retain the right to decline review opportunities for any reason. Sending a product does not guarantee a review will be produced.
- Liability: We will not be held liable for any negative publicity, loss of sales, or other damages that come from any review. It is the company’s responsibility to create a product that performs well.
These guidelines are in place to ensure a transparent and equitable review process for all parties. Your decision to send a product for our consideration will serve as confirmation that you accept and agree to all principles and conditions described in this document.
